


wonderstruck (skip to the best part)

by pocketpastel



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Cinderella Fusion, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Lee Brothers, Lee Seokmin | DK-centric, M/M, later mentions of verboochan, lowkey the sappiest thing i've written, not magic heavy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-16 18:56:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28586829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pocketpastel/pseuds/pocketpastel
Summary: Between Chan's scandalous conduct and Jihoon's reluctance to share the crown, Seokmin seeks solace with the help of a new friend.
Relationships: Hong Jisoo | Joshua/Lee Seokmin | DK
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	1. one

**Author's Note:**

> \- first time writing any kind of royalty au
> 
> TW: mentioned abuse in a later chapter (not described in detailed)

Seokmin fights back laughter as Chan bites his tongue, the younger’s urge to let slip a snarky comment transparent as the palace’s new window panes. At the moment, his little brother looks more like a court jester than a prince. The smug look on his face contrasts sharply with the fine sapphires and rubies slung around his neck. From head to toe, Chan is donned in threads of shrill golds and deep violets and Seokmin wonders if he had been informed that the latter was no longer an elusive colour.

Their parents ramble on about the importance of conduct and etiquette, both queens having stored away their own jewels and valuables for this rather long meeting. Seokmin exchanges a look with an equally bored Jihoon sitting across from him and there’s a silent agreement that their parents were sincerely fearful of their youngest son’s playful demeanor skating past disobedience into _theft._

What Seokmin doesn’t know is why he and Jihoon have to be present at this meeting. He had not been the one caught sneaking into the exclusive festivities of a neighbouring kingdom and Jihoon had not been the one to run from the hosts of said celebrations. It had all been Chan- His Royal Highness Prince Lee Jungchan of Cambria had passed an exam for trespassing on private property with flying colours and their mothers were frantic and frustrated.

Taeyeon crosses her arms. A bleak grey headband sits atop her jet black locks and a pair of matching earrings dangle aggressively below her updo. The set is far from eye-catching and it’s intentional; Chan particularly liked things that sparkled and shined.

“Your mother and I are still considering what would be a suitable punishment for your reckless behaviour, Jungchan.”

“Okay,” Chan finally scoffs. This wasn’t the first time a talk of such caliber was administered and by the way this conversation was going, it would not be the last.

“Jungchan!” Soonkyu snaps, her usual cheerful demeanor vanishing as she rises from her seat beside her wife. “Young man, you will not speak to either of us this way.”

“Sorry,” Chan answers, unapologetically.

Soonkyu sighs, pinching at the bridge of her nose. Out of their parents, she had always been the more approachable one. The one who even went as far as to enjoy Chan’s practical jokes on occasion. The one who Seokmin suspected would help him prank Taeyeon if it wasn’t for the limits that came with her public position. 

However, Chan had gone too far this time and it was clear. “You are incredibly fortunate that the two of us have a pleasant history with the rulers of Ewatus. But-” Taeyeon holds up her hand and Chan closes his mouth again. “This does not bode well for your public image.”

A little sneer spills from Jihoon’s lips and four heads turn to his direction. “I apologize,” Jihoon starts hastily, once he recognizes the impatience on his mothers’ faces. “It’s just- I would think that if Chan’s public image was in any way penetrable, the kingdom would have called for his exile a long time ago.”

“Oh, shut up-”

“Make me!”

“Both of you, stop it right now!” Taeyeon hisses, reaching over to grab both of them by their shoulders. Seokmin leans away from them, holding his hands in the air defensively. Why was he even here again? He had no part in this controversy. 

Soonkyu takes a quiet seat once more, folding her hands in her lap. “As we were saying- we must find a way to distract Cambria from that inconsiderate stunt you pulled.”

“Yes. Historically, this kingdom has been rather fickle yet at the same time... _ difficult _ to fool,” Taeyeon remarks briskly. “I reckon we will need to announce something so big, so grand, that Jungchan’s foolishness will be forgotten by sunset tomorrow.”

“Something like?...” Soonkyu gestures for her wife to continue. Seokmin leans across the table, eager to hear what his mother had in mind.

“An engagement announcement,” Taeyeon finishes, and  _ oh. Of course. _ Seokmin winces internally as she turns to Jihoon, who groans immediately. “And this is where our crown jewel Jihoonie shall come in.”

“No.”

“Son.” Soonkyu grits her teeth, her smile pleading and desperate. “We’ve asked you to reconsider this many times.”

“And I have, many times. So many times, Mother. And the answer is still no.”

“We know you have some rather...unconventional ideas about marriage, to say the least.”

Jihoon’s jaw drops as he registers Soonkyu’s words. “Unconventional? I just don’t understand why I need to rule alongside another person at all.”

“You can choose your future partner, you know,” Taeyeon adds, like she really believed it would change anything. “You are lucky we don’t take a particular liking to arranged marriages.”

_ That’s not his point,  _ Seokmin thinks. He doesn’t dare say this out loud; his parents were already frustrated enough with two out of three of their sons. His eyes fall on Jihoon again and he can’t help but sympathize with his brother. For as long as Seokmin has known him- which was simply, his whole life- Jihoon had never once shown interest in any of the countless suitors from other kingdoms. 

Seokmin has never asked him why. Maybe the reason doesn’t matter in the end, anyway.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Dinnertime arrives and the two queens have yet to reach a compromise with Jihoon. Seokmin excuses himself from the table, politely reminding his family that prior to their family meeting, the palace cook had asked for his opinion on a new tasting menu for the next event they held. On his way out the door, Seokmin nudges back Chan’s droopy figure from falling off the chair, ridiculous jewelry and all. His little brother had fallen asleep sometime between the seventh “Just think of your future kingdom, Jihoon!” and the fifteenth “You guys just don’t understand!”

Countless uneventful galas and banquets had passed in this year alone and perhaps Seokmin just never paid that much attention to the cuisine. But if there’s one thing he was certain of, it was that Mingyu was the greatest chef who had ever set foot in this kingdom, as well as the ones adjacent. Though he was young, Mingyu was a master of his craft and a rather jolly fellow, his intimidating stature never once deterring others from making his acquaintance. Seokmin loved every recipe the cook had ever revealed to him, even if Jihoon once shook his head and told his brother he had a “colourless palate”.

(He still sees Jihoon lick his plate clean under the table when no one else is looking.)

“Your Highness,” Mingyu sets down his pastry brush to bow as Seokmin skips into the kitchen. “Are you prepared to see my most adventurous invention yet?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be!” Seokmin grins at him, propping himself up to take a seat on the counter. What could Mingyu possibly have come up with this time?

The cook smiles back, a twinkle in his eye as he picks up a bowl and ladle and turns back to the stove. “I’ve been experimenting with soups, you see. While it is a rather easy category to master, I am accustomed to believe it is difficult to perfect.”

Excited, Seokmin takes the bowl from him and slurps it up in a way he knows he would be scolded for if he’d done this at the dinner table. This is Mingyu’s greatest, most delicious, most amaz-

_ Bleugh. Scratch that, scratch that!  _ “Is it not to your liking, Your Highness?” Mingyu covers his mouth in concern as Seokmin gulps down the rest of his creation, not wanting to offend the chef. He considers Mingyu a friend- they were the same age and deep down, Seokmin knows he is still learning to improve, despite Seokmin’s own, perhaps biased insistence that everything Mingyu touches turns to golden apple pie.

“No, not at all- I mean, it’s great!” Seokmin chokes out and also on a fish bone, he thinks. “Wow, um- what are the- the  _ components _ of this tasty broth?”

Mingyu’s smile fades. “You don’t like it.”

“No no no!” Seokmin protests but Mingyu raises an eyebrow at him and  _ right,  _ even the palace staff know he is a horrendous liar. “Maybe,” he adds sheepishly and Mingyu shakes his head, eyes downcast as he stares at the floor.

“Perhaps I got carried away,” he chuckles to himself. “I mixed in all the leftover fish and vegetables from last night’s dinner, you see.”

“Oh-  _ oh no. _ ”

“Oh, yes.” Mingyu pauses, taking a sip from his own bowl. The chef immediately recoils, his face scrunching up. “Perhaps I may have accidentally added last week’s desserts, as well,” he jokes. “I think we’ll have to forget about this attempt.” 

“It’s okay, Mingyu,” Seokmin laughs, hopping off the counter. “You’re still the best cook on both sides of Cambria.”

The chef shrugs, but his smile returns with Seokmin’s compliment. “I still wonder how your moms have yet to regret hiring a nineteen year-old.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The sun peeks through an insignificant crack in the window as the young prince adjusts the collar of his linen button-down shirt, humming to himself as he prepares for the day that is to commence. 

While his parents had continued their lengthy discussions with Jihoon and Chan throughout dinner, Seokmin bartered with Mingyu about his creation, concluding that the soup may have required some fresh herbs and spices to salvage (Mingyu tended to develop, to a degree, an attachment to his culinary inventions, despite their inherent properties). Seokmin was anxious to go on even just a small, short adventure outside the palace, having taken more and more of a liking to the village every time the royal family passed through for special events. A quick field trip intended for a spice search was a flawless excuse and the best part was, Seokmin didn’t have any plans today he’d have to argue out of attending.

Of course, he's to take this trip while in disguise as a commoner, though he doesn’t see a good reason to at this point. He knows the kingdom views Jihoon as the future of Cambria, his older brother being the heir to the throne. To his future subjects, Jihoon is the most important prince and everyone vies to sit and rule beside him one day. 

Seokmin also knows they see Chan as an innocent teenager who is still learning to behave. Seokmin isn’t sure if his younger brother’s recent scandal has deterred any supporters but he knows the identities of his accomplices will draw the attention back. Rumours of Chan having not one but two future grooms wrapped around his little pinky have been swirling through the kingdom for years. And they were true.

As for himself, Seokmin is all too aware of how his subjects view him, if they even actively perceive him at all. He’s the middle prince, the forgotten one. He will never be king, though that doesn’t bother him. And his mischievous nature became overlooked the day Chan began presenting a similar image that was more widely accepted since he was the youngest.

Of course it hurts, being forced to hear countless catty whispers about his image. The public apparently resents how much he smiles, which sounds ridiculous to him, since  _ who could dislike somebody for smiling? _ The same critics adore Jihoon’s frosty exterior and Seokmin supposes it must make sense for them, in a convoluted way. He still prefers that they don’t comment so negatively on anybody’s appearance.

“Your Highness?” Soonyoung’s voice halts his train of thought and Seokmin turns to the doorway. His personal assistant wears a worried expression as he crosses the room to fold up the various pieces of clothing Seokmin had left scattered on his bed. Like Mingyu, Soonyoung had always been more of a friend and a partner-in-crime than another staff member working in his home. His work performance was brilliant but Seokmin appreciated his company most of all.

“Are you certain my assistance is not necessary on your trip today?” Soonyoung inquires as he hangs up a pair of Seokmin’s more formal trousers back into his closet. “I’m a little concerned you’ll get lost on the way, Your Highness.”

“It’ll be fine!” Seokmin assures him. “But thank you for asking. Just take the day off. I believe my brother and Wonwoo are waiting to resume your game of chess from last night.”

Soonyoung’s eyes light up with a playful gleam. “Thank you for the reminder! I’ll finish up here, then I’ll be on my way to join them. Have a good time on your trip, Your Highness.”

“I will,” Seokmin tells him. Readjusting his cloth bag over his shoulder, he then waves goodbye to Soonyoung and zooms out of the door.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


A mere thirteen minutes into his adventure, Seokmin winds up at an unfavourable conclusion.

He’s lost.

It wasn’t his fault! Every fork in the path leads him to walk in circles and he regrets not making this journey on horseback, though arriving in the village by foot would have been more discreet.

Now he’s stuck pacing in front of a vast gathering of trees. The forest looms over him, all prideful branches and crusty green leaves. It’s a bright, clear morning in the middle of May but the unfamiliarity of such surroundings leave Seokmin uneasy. He knows he could reasonably turn around and try to find his way back to the palace. But then Mingyu wouldn’t get his spices! And he’s not especially keen on Soonyoung’s impending triumph either, which leaves Seokmin no choice but to continue his timid little trek to find the village.

There’s a sense of stillness in the village. Not the kind that makes the hairs on the back of his neck quiver, but rather the kind that coerces Seokmin into imitating its calmness, his usual rowdiness put on pause. Pink magnolias dangle shrilly on his left and a bed of yellow pansies lie to his right. Seokmin scans for a clearing, blackberry thimbles brushing slyly against his forearms as he pushes past the tall bushes to follow the paved path. The path that’s starting to blur as the dust blends with the dirt. 

Wonderful. The forest is visually stunning but that’s not too helpful when Seokmin’s more lost than ever and _what if he never finds his way out?_ Will anyone even notice his absence from the palace? Seokmin begins to panic. _Calm down, it’ll be okay,_ he tries to reassure himself _. Just stay positive and maybe you’ll only be stuck here for a few hours-_

“Are you alright?”

Seokmin jumps a little, startled by an interjection from a gentle voice. He turns around and the sweet, somewhat amused smile of the young man behind him strikes the most prodigious cord through his resolve. The thrilling rush to his chest is immediate, its accompanying warmth expanding like a springtime rosebud as Seokmin basks in the glow of the man’s delicate stare. 

In essence, he’s tasting the raw earthen soil for an eternity before he has the sense to pick his jaw off of the ground. The stranger repeats his question and all Seokmin hears is a magnified choir of angels and songbirds. He shakes his head to himself, and the man stutters the same inquiry for the third time.

“Sir? Are you okay?”

“Yes!” Seokmin blurts out, and  _ sir?  _ Did he look like a sir? The man looked to be about his age, in the awkward limbo where “sir” was still too formal and unfamiliar of a title. But perhaps he’s not in a position to be picky about how the beautiful stranger chooses to address him.

The man bites his lip. He’s only about two centimetres shorter than Seokmin and the prince’s mind wanders to how he wouldn’t have to bend all the way down to give him a kiss and wouldn’t that just be-

“Splendid,” the stranger smiles at him and backs away politely, about to retreat back to the blackberry bushes or wherever he even came from. Seokmin’s gaze lands on the cute little basket of berries dangling from his wrist, the shiny gleam of the fruit a contrasting companion to the man’s modest clothes. A wrinkled apron flutters over his beige pants while a light teal bandana sits atop his charcoal black locks. Seokmin fights the urge to reach out and brush his bangs out of his eyes.

“Wait,” he calls out and the man spins back on his heel, eyebrows arched. “I’m uh, a little lost, you see. I was trying to find the village- you know the one, right?”

“The one that’s the tourist attraction?” the stranger asks, straightening his posture. His generous chest makes Seokmin feel a little small but- those bunny cheeks!  _ Bunny cheeks, bunny cheeks, bu- _

“Or did you mean another village?” he questions and Seokmin quickly rearranges his inner turbulence.

“No, the first one- the tourist attraction. Yeah.” Seokmin wonders if the man is a tourist himself, maybe from a land overseas.

“Ah, okay. I think if you keep walking until you meet the- you know the little brook? Just take a right turn when you pass it.”

“Would you mind showing me the way?” Seokmin blurts out. “I’m kind of poor with directions, you see.” Well, he  _ was- _ that’s how he got himself lost in the forest in the first place.

The young man just stares at him for a moment, and Seokmin hopes he’s not scaring him. “Don’t worry! I don’t bite!” and  _ wow, _ if that isn’t just the perfect thing to say to someone who already looks hesitant. He’s about to apologize and tell him he’ll find his own way out when the stranger crosses the clearing and beckons for Seokmin to follow him. 

The prince beams, happily skipping to catch up to him. “So,” he starts, puffing out his chest a little whilst plastering on his brightest smile. “I’m Seokmin. What’s your name?”

He regrets the words as soon as they leave his mouth because  _ shit, _ he could have just given away his identity. Then again- who is he kidding? It’s unlikely he’ll be recognized due to his reputation, or rather, his lack thereof.

“I- it doesn’t matter,” the man mumbles, not looking at Seokmin. Seokmin frowns. How could it not matter? He just wanted to know this lovely stranger’s name and then hopefully, find a reasonable excuse to keep talking to him.

“That’s an unusual name,” he jokes and when the man doesn’t reply, he decides not to press the issue. “Um, that’s a lot of berries you have there. Are you baking a pie?”

“I am, actually,” the stranger brightens, finally looking up at Seokmin. “I’m hoping to try this new recipe and everything.”

“Yeah? My cook- I mean, my  _ friend _ who is a cook- makes the best pies. He’s always looking for innovative ways to improve his recipes.”

They chatter on about pies, about pastries and desserts as the stranger leads Seokmin past the brook and through the winding paths. Their conversation grows comfortable and Seokmin keeps the topics more impersonal, as he hopes to avoid overstepping any boundaries. Before he knows it, they’re standing at the gate to the village.

“Thank you again,” he says, bowing at the stranger, who bows back.

“My pleasure. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

_ I definitely have, _ Seokmin almost lets slip. Biting down the words, he flashes another kind smile at the man. “Are you going back to the forest?”

“No, I’m heading home now,” the man responds. “I have enough berries. Perhaps even too many.”

He lets out a quiet chuckle and the sappy grin that’s been stuck on Seokmin’s face for the duration of their meeting doesn’t waver.

“Do you- I mean, will you be at the forest often?” the prince asks gently. He knows he’s not very good at flirting but it wouldn’t hurt to try as long as he stayed respectful. “It’d be uh, nice to talk again, you know?”

The stranger turns quiet again and Seokmin wants to sink into the ground. He shouldn’t have pushed it; the man was probably only being polite and Seokmin read too much into their dialogue.

“It would,” the man agrees softly. “And um, maybe. Sorry, I- I have to go now. Bye Seokmin.”

With a last little wave, he takes off away from the centre of the village before Seokmin can gape at how his name sounds coming from the stranger’s mouth. The prince watches his retreating figure disappear before turning the other way, reluctantly returning to his search.


	2. two

“What’s the matter with his form today?” Seungkwan whispers loudly to Chan. From a few feet away, Seokmin shoots him a weak glare. He’s too preoccupied with cleaning his riding boots to listen in on his brother’s conversation with his boyfriend. Or rather- _one_ of his boyfriends.

Seungkwan just retorts with a smug look, reminding Seokmin exactly why he gets along so well with his bratty brother. The young duke was from a neighbouring kingdom and an exceptional jockey, having taken home multiple prestigious titles since a young age. From his many visits to Seungkwan’s family castle, Seokmin has deduced that his trophy room seems to expand proportionally with his ego.

Overall, he’s still grateful for Seungkwan’s involvement in his brother’s life. Over the years, Chan had picked up an abundance of new hobbies from Seungkwan and Hansol. Unfortunately, he retained his interest in collecting superficial trinkets and this faucet of his personality had spread to both of his partners.

The stables are dripping with rain and mud as Chan shoves past Seokmin to hang up his helmet. It had been a turbulent afternoon of Seokmin defending himself from Seungkwan’s condescending remarks on his riding skills and he anticipates returning to his own room and sinking into the longest, warmest bath he can get away with. Seokmin pushes Chan back, budging in front of his brother and promptly ignores the sigh of passive-aggression he receives in return. 

Seungkwan and Chan continue to babble on about nonsense from behind him, only peaking Seokmin’s interest when the conversation turns to Hansol.

“The thing is, chocolates are expensive,” Chan muses. “But on the other hand, you and I both know he deserves the best.”

“That’s true,” Seungkwan agrees. Seokmin furrows his brow in confusion, turning around to fall in step with the other two.

“Chocolates? What’s the occasion?” he asks. “Hansol’s birthday was back in February, like mine. And Chan’s is too.”

His brother snorts. “We know. We just want to get him a gift, that’s all.”

Seungkwan nods, snickering. “Yeah, there doesn’t have to be a reason to get our boyfriend something he’d like. Seokmin, you’d understand if _you_ had someone to treasure like we do.”

Seokmin opens his mouth, about to snip back an equally snarky comment when Chan cuts in.

“Actually Boo, my dear brother does have someone on his mind,” he simpers and Seokmin groans. He had made the mistake of gushing to Chan about the beautiful angel he met in the forest only days prior, being unable to contain his joy about finally meeting someone who made his heart flutter like a whole kaleidoscope of butterflies.

“But here’s the catch- they’ve only met once!” his brother crones, his cackle the worst cacophony Seokmin has ever heard. “Can you believe it, Boo? Love at first sight-”

“Hey, I didn’t say the word _love,”_ Seokmin snaps back, even though he’s all too aware he might as well have, with the way he had been swooning for the past few days. 

Seungkwan just joins his boyfriend in his fit of immature laughter, before pretending to wipe a tear from his eyes. “So, when are you going to see him again?”

_Right._ When _was_ Seokmin going to find an excuse to go back to the forest? He only has a few days off from his royal duties each week, and he prefers to plan out his schedule in advance, in order to accommodate his staff and give his parents less of a headache. Now, if only he could come up with a reason to leave the palace again.

_Wait._ “You two just said you wanted to purchase Hansol some chocolates, correct?”

“And what about it?” Chan inquires and Seokmin leans forward, excitedly shaking his younger brother by his shoulders.

“Why don’t I uh, go to the village and buy them for you?” he suggests eagerly. “I can even get them by tomorrow,” he adds, recalling that his afternoon should be free.

Chan and Seungkwan exchange a look. “I was going to ask Minghao to make a trip,” Chan shrugs, referring to his own personal assistant. “But if you’re really offering to help us-”

“I am,” Seokmin declares, the boom of his voice so tumultuous he’s afraid that Jihoon will come down from his room five floors above them to scold him. Seungkwan pats him on the shoulder, his mouth twisting into that classic pleased smirk.

“In that case, we’d be absolutely delighted if you did.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Navigation towards the village- and through the forest- is a lot easier the second time around. Seokmin hums to himself as he sits atop of Coco, one of his favourite horses from the royal stables. A part of him worries whether or not the pretty stranger will even _be_ in the forest this afternoon. _What if he isn’t there today?_ Seokmin frets, the reins under his gloves shaking a little. _Or if I get there when he’s leaving and I miss my chance to say hi?_

Really, there’s no use dwelling on it, as he learns quickly when the entrance to the forest greets him sooner than it did when he had made the trip by foot rather than on horseback. Seokmin rides past the trees, looking every direction in hopes of recognizing soft brown eyes and those strong arms he’d stared so intently at before.

He estimates that he’s already made it halfway through the forest and there’s still no sign of the stranger. Seokmin lets out a sad sigh- of course he couldn’t be lucky enough to see him again. Fate could never be this kind, after all.

“Come on, Coco,” he coos quietly at his horse, encouraging her to break into a canter. “Let’s hurry to the village.”

Coco lets out a happy neigh in response and Seokmin wishes he could feel just as cheery. She breaks into a full gallop and Seokmin forces himself to gather his thoughts together as he takes control of his horse.

When he arrives at the candy store, he picks out the most expensive chocolates in the shop, not caring that the shopkeeper appeared confused as to how someone dressed in rather plain clothing could afford such extravagant sweets. Seokmin hopes he’s bought the ones his brother had in mind, and that Hansol will enjoy them. Chan and Seungkwan’s other boyfriend was also a duke from a different kingdom and he had always been the quietest of the three. He enjoyed painting and collecting pristine art pieces, which are hobbies Seokmin supposes align nicely with his brother’s own. He adjusts Coco’s bridle, making sure his horse is comfortable with the mouthpiece before he gets back on top and directs her back in the direction of the palace. 

Seokmin rides calmly through the forest, Coco having slowed down to walk again. He doesn’t urge her to go faster, as a tiny bud of hope blossoms in his chest that maybe, _maybe_ he’d see his angel on the way back and- _no,_ he needs to stop thinking like this. He didn’t see him on his way to the village so why should he expect to see him on the way back?

“Seokmin? Is that you?”

_Is that-_ no, it couldn’t be. Now he was hearing things too! Seokmin shakes his head to himself, eluding thoughts of the stranger’s voice calling for him. Maybe he needs to take another warm bath when he arrives home.

“Seokmin! Wait up, please!”

Could it really be? The prince pulls on Coco’s reins to beckon a halt of movement as he slowly turns his head. 

And there, walking towards him with the same sweet smile, is the man he has been itching to see all week. Seokmin dismounts from his horse as fast and safely as he’s able to and rushes over to him.

“You remembered my name,” is the first thing he says, a little breathlessly. The man giggles and all Seokmin can think about is how he wants to hear that twinkle for the rest of his life.

“How could I forget?” the man replies cheerfully. “You got lost in this same forest for...quite a while, it seemed like.”

“Hey, it wasn’t that long!” Seokmin teases back, his heart racing at how visibly happy the stranger appeared to see him. He had been terrified that his eagerness from the other day had scared him off.

“By the way,” he starts, lowering his voice to a more polite volume. “You still haven’t told me _your_ name.”

“I haven’t,” the man affirms, growing quiet. “I’m sorry, I just-”

He pauses and Seokmin watches him ponder to himself. “Just?...” he urges the man to continue, casting a hopeful glance at the stranger kicking pebbles on the path with his boot.

“Jisoo,” the man mumbles. “My- my name is Jisoo.”

_Jisoo._ Jisoo sounds a little unsure of himself but Seokmin doesn’t pry further, too excited that he finally had a name to put to such a lovely face.

“A beautiful name for a beautiful person,” he blurts out, unconcerned at the cheesiness of the line he just used. Jisoo’s kitten eyes grow big and Seokmin feels his chest clench for the nth time in the past minute. “Oh, how was your pie?” he recalls, changing the subject to avoid flustering his new friend.

“Ah, I couldn’t- I mean, I _didn’t_ try any of it,” Jisoo explains, his voice faltering. “My um, household finished it all.”

“Oh no,” Seokmin frowns. “They should have saved some for you.”

“Yeah,” Jisoo agrees, seemingly nonchalant. “So, were you stopping by the village again today?”

Seokmin shows him the chocolates and the conversation turns to his brother’s relationship, then to their own lives. He makes sure to omit parts of his stories that could give away his identity, even though he has already considered the possibility of Jisoo being a noble in disguise, just like him. Seokmin is still not certain if he’s a commoner or not but it doesn’t matter to him anyway.

Talking with Jisoo is easy, the words flowing out as smoothly as they did during their conversation about desserts from their first meeting. Seokmin doesn’t fail to notice that he’s doing most of the talking himself but Jisoo looks genuinely interested in listening to his stories. Additionally, the prince doesn’t want to force him to open up about his personal life more than he was comfortable with- they’ve only met two times, after all. He does learn that Jisoo is a year and two months older than him and that he has a brother.

“Well, half-brother,” Jisoo corrects himself. “But we’re as close as real brothers can get.”

“Did you tell him off for eating your pie?”

For a split second, Jisoo stiffens and the corners of his mouth drop. “He’s not- I don’t live with him, exactly. His fiance lives in Slentis but he’s- he’s opening a new branch of his business here.”

“Oh, so he’s staying here for a bit?”

“Yeah, just to see if he can expand his business,” Jisoo says with a shrug. “Anyway-”

“So who do you live with, then?” Seokmin interrupts him, immediately regretting it when he sees Jisoo’s expression drop even more. “I mean, uh- you don’t have to tell me anything you’re not comfortable with,” he adds quickly.

“It’s alright,” Jisoo mutters softly. “But um, I do prefer it if we talk about other things for now.”

“Of course,” Seokmin complies with what he hopes is a comforting smile. “So, are you here to pick berries again? Or for something else?”

Jisoo’s eyes light up again and Seokmin leans closer, eager to listen. “Oh, I can show you!” his new friend exclaims. “Come here.”

He beckons for Seokmin to follow him and the prince does so happily, tugging Coco along with them as he trails after Jisoo past a few more disorganized groups of trees and bushes before they reach another clearing.

“Oh!” Seokmin gasps in pleasant surprise at the striking mess of flowers strewn around over the sandy floor. Vague arrays of violets, gardenias, and the cutest little daisies lay everywhere, with roses and peonies sitting in a neat pile in the centre. A couple of stray stems and leaves are scattered in between the flowers.

Jisoo walks over to his work, taking a seat in front of the heaps of petals. He holds up a small peony as Seokmin kneels down beside him.

“What are you doing with all these flowers?” the prince asks curiously and Jisoo just hums, leaning in and tucking the peony behind Seokmin’s ear. Seokmin swallows hard, his stomach in knots at how close Jisoo’s face is to his own.

“I found these laying all around the forest. I’m guessing someone already plucked and pulled them out from their roots,” Jisoo explains with the tiniest pout as he places a rose behind Seokmin’s other ear. “They looked so sad and deflated like that, so I decided to make them into flower crowns.”

“Ah, that’s a cool idea,” Seokmin smiles dazedly. He couldn’t help it- Jisoo was just so cute, skipping around the forest with his berries and flowers. “Can I make one too?”

“Yes!” Jisoo grabs his hands in delight and Seokmin thinks he might pass out. “See how I put all the roses and peonies together? I’m trying to make this one with a pink theme. If only I had more pink flowers, but oh, well.”

Seokmin sits with him as Jisoo shows him how to loop the stems together and tie the flowers around each other. They decide to be each other’s models, placing colourful combinations atop one another’s hair. Seokmin learns that Jisoo’s favourite flower is the forget-me-not and that he wishes he could find them in the forest.

“I guess it’s because I don’t want to be forgotten,” Jisoo answers with a shrug when Seokmin asks him why he likes the tiny blue flowers. “Do you ever feel like that? Like, the world could just continue around you and it wouldn’t matter?”

“Yes,” Seokmin admits because _fuck,_ if that’s not the story of his life. “I don’t like being forgotten either.”

“I mean,” Jisoo pauses, lowering his head as he fiddles with the daisy crown he holds between trembling fingers. “I struggle to think of a reason anybody could ever forget you.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


When Seokmin arrives back to the palace, he knows exactly where he has to go first.

After making sure Coco is sleeping safely in her stable stall, he dashes to the gardens in the back of his home, barely able to contain himself with excitement. He had spent time with Jisoo in the forest until the older of the two had to leave, rather abruptly.

“Do you want a ride back?” Seokmin had offered, gesturing to his horse. “I don’t mind, by the way,” he added, aware that for the short time he had known Jisoo, he would definitely ask Seokmin if he minded bringing him home.

Jisoo had shaken his head and politely declined, insisting that he wanted Seokmin to make it back to his own home before night fell. Seokmin accepted his reasoning and they parted ways hesitantly, each leaving in opposite directions.

“If you ever wanted to meet up again, I’ll be around here in the afternoon about every other day,” Jisoo had mumbled right as Seokmin was about to mount his horse. The prince agreed enthusiastically, his heart warm with hope that _Jisoo wanted to see him again._

The palace gardens are huge, stretching from one end to another with what Seokmin guesses are thousands of different plant varieties. Memories of chasing Jihoon and Chan around with the watering hose when they were younger drift seamlessly into his mind every time he passes through the garden. Seokmin’s hand wraps around the rusty padlock on the old, faded wooden door that leads to his favourite part of the gardens.

It’s not exactly a secret garden- after all, just about everyone who lived in the palace knew of its existence. However, Seokmin decided long ago that he’d call it a secret garden anyway; though it was a relatively well-known spot, he had spent countless hours there by himself on the little swing set hanging from the oak tree. He would swing and ponder all alone, his thoughts ranging from how he could be more efficient with his royal duties to what kind of appetizers he should persuade Mingyu to make for the next gala.

Untangling the key hidden in the grapevines, Seokmin unlocks the door and steps into the secret garden. The extraordinary abundance of plants and flowers greets him, just like they always did. But he knows he’ll never grow tired of it.

Turning his head, the prince spots the flower that had been on his mind for the last hour. He pushes past spirals of yellows and oranges, eyes fixated solely on the forget-me-nots blooming contently in their ceramic pots. 

Seokmin smiles down at the flowers. He’ll have to ask the gardener for permission to pick them but hopefully, Jisoo would be adding his favourite flowers to his crowns by the next time Seokmin sees him.

**Author's Note:**

> \- originated from brief cinderella references in one of my other fics  
> \- one of the things i'm working on as a writer is writing imagery so this is kind of an experimental work for that? in a way  
> \- will be completed in fewer chapters than my other wips
> 
> comments appreciated<3


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